Motor-vehicle-control apparatus



Nov. ll,` 1930. J. IBROW'NELL MOTOR VEHICLE CONTROL APPARATUS Filed OGL 5, 1929 I||.l Alfil lll lll Patented Nov. 1v1, 1930 UNITED STATESk PATE@ OFFICE i JAMES L. BROWNELL, F IKALAMAZOO, ll/IICHIGAN,' SSIGNOR TO CHECKER A(AB `MAVNU1 FACTURING CORPORATION, OF KALAMAZOO, M CHIGAN MoToR-vEHICLn-CONTROL APrARATUs.

Application mea october 5, 1929. serial' No. 391,722..

It is'not unusual for owners of taXicabs to suEer very material losses on account of manipulation of the meters by dishonest drivers, that is, operating them so that they fail to record and failing to turn in the unrecorded It is the main object of this invention to provide an apparatus Which Will prevent the i operation of the vehicle unless the meter is placed in action.

A further object is to provide an apparatus of this character in Which the passenger operates a locking means which can only be released by the placing of the meter into opera--l 415 tive condition.

A still further object is to provide an ap-r paratus of this character Which is entirely concealed so far. as the passenger is concerned.,

Objects pertaining to details and econo# mies of my invention Will definitely appear paratus incorporated therein and shown by Vful-l lines. Theparts of the vehicle directly full lines and yother partsconventionally.

the locking 'means therefor.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view partially in vertical section illustrating the parts direct#` ly associated rWith the control element of the` meter. I

section illustrating details- `of the actuating unit associated with one of the seatsof'the vehicle.

Referring to the drawing, the vehicle 1 is shown by dotted' lines in order'to better illustrate the relationof my control apparatus thereto. 2 is the foot clutch lever or pedal and 3 its shaft which is operatively connected to the clutch, the connections not being illustrated.

The meter shown ,conventionally at L.Lis

provided Witha combined signal and control elemente G is a collapsible seat adapted to be folded and collapsed into the recess 7 provided in the floor of the vehicle. 8 is the'spring'cushion for the rear seat. l

The vehicle control element, in this instance the pedal' and'its shaft, is provided With a locking pin 9 which 'is adapted to enter a radial hole 10 in the shaft', the "hole being K position toreceivethe pin when the clutch is in 'neutral'positionL The locking pin 9 is theplunger. Thisconstitutes the actuated unit of the apparatus in the embodiment illus'- tated. A. fV

I provid'etwo actuating 'unitsv designated generallyby thevnumerals 14 andA 15 infthis embodiment illustrated-7 one associated with the seat cushion 8 and the other With the col lapsiblelseat The actuating unit 14 compiises'a cylinder 16 and 'a plunger k17 having a lstem 18 connected to the loWerend of the spring 19 Which is interposed in the spring cushion 8 so that the occupant of the seat Will actuate the plunger.A f

The actuating unit 15 comprises asimilar y*cylinder 2O anda plunger 21, indicated by associated with the apparatus are shown 1n dotted lines-in Fig. 1,` having la stem 22iprojecting to be engaged by the loWer end of the Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view partially@v in section of the vehicle lcontrol element and *o standard 23'y of the collapsible seatV 6 so that when the seat is erected this plunger is ad,` vanced inthe cylinder. Both of thesek actuating unitA cylinders are lconnected by the pipes 24 and 25 to theactuated cylinder.A

` carried bythe plunger 11 arranged in a cylini der 12Land a return spring 13 is provided for` Interposedin this connectionl is 'a control Y .Y V unit operatively associated With'the meten f Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view partially in- This control unitdesignated generally vby fthe numeral'26 'comprises a cylinder 2.7,-'one end of vvhichis opento the connection for the actuating` unit cylinders to the actuated Vunit cylinder, seeFigs. 1 and 3. 'The'plunger 28 is provided With a stein 29 disposed in alinement With ay stem 30 on theV cam or eccentric strap 31 which coacts with acam or` eccentric 32 on' the meter controlelment 5.

A coiled spring 33 is interposed betvveen the stems29" and 30, the purpose of which is to` prevent unduejstress on the parts. The tension of the spring, however, is sufficient tof'hold the plungerv28 against the pressure of the system.v l InA the accompanying drawing theV parts `are shown with the plunger 281in its actuated cupancy of the seatV cushion 8 will actuate v,the actuating units associated. therewith,

forcing the fluid through the conduits to ac tuatethe locking pinso the vehicle cannot be starteduntil this locking pin is released,as

` is the case :when the meter 'control member is swung downward to registering position.

. This releases theplunger 28 so that the spring 2()` v Y maler-.27 1`s` 1fn eifectarelief or pressurerellef 13 may withdraw the locking pin. VThe cyl.-

chamber.v l i Irhave not the accompanying drawing attempted to maintain a relative proportion of the-parts. V[Neither have :I attempted to illustrate and' `AAdescribe therein other adaptations 'of my improvements, For instance, in` steadfof controlling thel clutch leverthe actu'- at'edunit ofthesystem might be-connected tothe ignition control, throttle control or thef like 1Iv 4 t Y V[It ."is believed, ho'vfwever,v that this disclosure Vwill enable" those skilled inthe Varttov which my invention -relates Vto .embody or 35 Y adapt thefsame as maybe desired,v n "Having thus described myinvention-,what

`I claim-'as new and desire to secure Lettersv Patent, is :l

` f1.' The combination in Aafmotorvehicle in-1 cludlng a movable controlelment, ameter provided with a movableco'ntrol element, a

- Vseat provided with a spring cushion', and a actuating Vunit and actuated unit'cyli'nders andfprovided with a plunger, and operating vconnections vfor' said control unit" cylinder t plunger and said signal elementgof Vsaid,

collapsible seat, of "an actuated'iunit compris,-

ing'a'cylinder provided Witha'plunger and a `'return spring therefor', alocking pin car-v ried by said plunger' coacting with said con-1 trol element for lockingjitin operative posi- 1. tion, actuating 'units comprising',cylinders VVprovided with plungers, 'the plungerof .one I cylinderfbeing operatively associated -with saidspringfseat 'cushion' Aand the other with i said collapsible se'at,"a Ahydraulic connection 'for vsaid actuating unitcylinders" to said actuated unit. cylinder, a control unitcylindr interposed in f's'aid connectionjbetween' said meter. y

seat provided with aspring cushion, of an `daetuated'unit comprising agcylinder provided controlelement of said meter. H. y ,A f5. The combination `a motorrvehicle inr cluding a control element, a,meter provided' "relief `unit cylinderinterposed insaid connection between said actuating unit and actuated; unitcylinders and providedwitli a plunger,

and operating connections for said control unit cylinder of said meter. d d

i* 3. Thecombination ina motor vehicle including a movable control element,.a meter plunger and said signalelement provided `with a movable control element, and a collapsible seat, of an actuated l unit comprise Y ing a cylinder provided ywith'fa plunger and a return Vspring therefor, a' locking pin carried by said'plunger coacting with said'control ele-AQ,

ment for locking it in operative position, an'

actuating unit*v comprising'a cylinder provided'witha plunger operatively associated with said collapsible seat, a hydraulic connection for'said actuatingy unit c yli1i'dfe'rfto`said actuated unit cylinder,` Va relief unitcylinder interposed in: said l.connectiony between `said A actuating unit and'factuatedl unit'. cylinders and provided with a plunger, andoperating cluding a control' element, and aljmeterprovided witha control element', of-an ractuated unit provided with alplunger operatively fassociated with said vehicle control element, anV

, tuiated andactuating unit cylinders providedwithaplunger, and operating connections for saidl pressure relief cylinder plunger to the with at control kele1nent,anactuatedunit 1pro with said vvehiclecontrol element, an actuatautomatically ractuated by a `passerigenra iuid vvidedwith,firr l1-mger operatively associated: I

connectionfor-said'actuatingunit cylinder to y said. actuated unit cylinder, apressure relief unit cylinder interposed in saidconnection V- between said actuated and actuatingunitcylv 1 Y i inders provided with aplunger, andoperating 2. The'combination in amotor vehicle in Y cluding a movable control element,A a yrneterV Y provided with a movable control element, and

connections for said pressure, relief cylinder plunger to the control ,elementofsaid meter. 6.1 The vcombination fin-a motor vehicle pro#y vided'wi'th an operation :control element, and.A

a meter vfor the vehicle lprovided witha regisf 'connections. for saidv control unity cylinder plungerand said'signal elementofsaidmeter.` The combinationi in a Amotor vehicleintering control element, of a seat for said vehicle provided With a spring cushion, a fluid actuated unit operatively associated with said vehicle control element, a fluid actuating elei ment operatively associated with said spring cushion to be actuated by the occupancy of the seat, a fluid connection for said actuating and actuated units, and a pressure relief unit interposed in said connection and operatively A hand. y

JAMES L. BROWNELL. 

